A conventional car navigation system apparatus is fixedly mounted on a car and cannot be taken out of the car. The car navigation system detects the current position of a car based on data from a GPS receiver, azimuth data from a gyro sensor, VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) information, and car speed information. Removable car navigation system apparatuses have been developed, which make it possible for a family to make plans for drive. Such a removable car navigation system detects the position based on data from a GPS receiver and azimuth data from a gyro sensor, without using VICS information or car speed information, and hence the position detecting precision is low.
Currently available car navigation systems have functions, such as electronic mail transmission and reception and schedule management. Their functions are almost like those of notebook personal computers (PCs). Accordingly, if a car on which such a car navigation system is fixedly installed is stolen, there is a risk that private information stored in the car navigation system may be leaked out. Accordingly, there is a need for a mobile PC which can be installed on a car and removed from the car, and has functions as a car navigation system and an ordinary notebook PC.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication JP 2000-311029 A published on Nov. 7, 2000, Ishii discloses a handheld PC having a display rotatable by 270 degrees or more relative to a main unit, and having a docking connector on a surface of the PC which, in the normal use, is a front surface, and having terminals for various uses on the rear surface. The handheld PC has a navigation software installed therein and is used as a navigation apparatus by itself outside the car. When used in the car, it is inserted into a handheld PC inserting slot of an on-board apparatus docking station with the front side of the main unit facing ahead to thereby connect the docking connector to the docking terminal within the slot. The PC takes in vehicle-speed-representative pulses from the docking station to navigate with precision.
In the handheld PC disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP 2000-311029 A above, however, the keyboard of this PC faces downward in the docking station, and hence heat generated in the PC may not be dissipated efficiently.
In Japanese Patent Application Publication JP H 06-250156 A published on Sep. 9, 1994, Shimada discloses a LCD horizontally rotatable relative to a PC main unit. Hence a rotation axis is located at the rear center of the PC main unit.
Also, in Japanese Patent Application Publication JP 2001-169166 A published on Jun. 22, 2001, Shibata et al. disclose a monitor which can be laterally rotated relative to a main unit of a portable terminal. Hence a rotation axis is located at the rear center of the main unit.
Usually, car audio apparatuses and car navigation apparatuses have an approximate size of one DIN (i.e. width of 178 mm and height of 50 mm), or two DINS (i.e. width of 178 mm and height of 100 mm). A handheld PC with a full-keyboard comparable to such sizes has a very small key pitch, and hence is difficult to operate. The width of a keyboard easy to operate is typically about 230 mm at the minimum.
Display devices having a size equal to or less than one DIN is a 7-inch or smaller display (having a display area of 154.1×87.0 mm2 and external dimensions of 170.0 mm×104.0 mm×18.0 mm). Ordinary mobile notebook PCs have a screen size of 9 inches or 10.4 inches. Accordingly, notebook PCs having a 7-inch display device may be too small for practical use.
The inventors of this application has recognized the need for a PC having a limited predetermined width and still having a size for enabling an operator to operate it easily.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile information processing apparatus having a predetermined, limited width and a size sufficient for enabling an operator to operate it easily.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus having a display device that can assume different positions relative to a main unit of the information processing apparatus.